One of the perks of marking your 900th anniversary is you get to celebrate it in dozens of countries worldwide.
That’s why nearly 100 guests and Victoria Commandery members gathered at the Union Club on Feb. 15 to commemorate the anniversary of the official founding of the Sovereign Order of St. John of Jerusalem Knights Hospitaller.
Wow, that’s a mouthful. It has also, for the longest time, been one of Victoria’s best-kept secrets — or so it seems.
“A lot of people think we’re a secret organization, and we wanted to let people know exactly what we do,” said Deedrie Ballard, commander of the Victoria unit of the ecumenical international Christian Order founded in the late 11th century.
What they do is provide support for the care of the sick, needy and the poor in Victoria regardless of race or religion.
Members wore red cloaks and decorative medals for an ecumenical service, with hymns, prayers and Ballard’s opening remarks offset by Christ Church Cathedral choir music under Michael Gormley’s direction, followed by a cocktail reception.
Ballard briefed the crowd on the objectives and achievements of the Victoria Commandery over the past few years.
With monies raised through member contributions, outside donations and fundraisers, it has donated more than $300,000 to Victoria Hospitals Foundation, in part to furnish rooms for “compromised individuals” who might need special life skills training and other assistance before being integrated back into society. Last year it formed a relationship with Victoria Hospice, committing $250,000 over five years to hire a community-care counsellor to help challenged citizens at the end of life.
The 40 pillars of local society who make up the current Commandery were philanthropists before they joined, Ballard said. They were invited to join the group that operates under the radar because of what they have already contributed to the community and elsewhere. They must be accepted by the Order before becoming Knights or Dames in investiture ceremonies.
“They have to be giving of themselves,” Ballard said, noting up to eight new members are expected to join the local unit.
